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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rock · fan · leaves · hide · row · suit

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. suit — to fit
  5. suit — clothes
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. row — to paddle
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. row — a line
  14. rock — music
  15. rock — a stone
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. suit — in cards
  18. fan — to cool the air

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com